Chapters 4-7 English vocab Flashcards
incipient
beginning to come into being or to become apparent
dormant
asleep; inactive
gradient (n.)
a part sloping upward/downward
ingress
the act of entering
retrograde
occurring in a backward direction
renascent
rising again into being or vigor
naive
marked by unaffected simplicity; deficient in worldly wisdom or informed judgement
ingenuous
showing innocent or childlike simplicity and candidness; completely lacking in deceit
disingenuous
lacking in candor; giving a false appearance of frankness
unregenerate
not reformed; unrepetant
egress
a place or means of going out
perception
acute and intuitive cognition; a capacity for comprehension
generic
having no particularly distinctive quality; characteristic of a whole group or class
orient
to ascertain the bearings of; to arrange in a determinate position
abortive
fruitless, unsuccessful
expeditious
marked by or acting with prompt efficiency
expedite
to accelerate the process or progress of
prescience
divine omniscience; foreknowledge of events
unconscionable
unreasonable, unfair, unjust; without conscience
consciousness
the state or quality of being aware
impassive
insusceptible to or destitute of emotion
impassioned
filled with passion or zeal
inception
the act, process, or instance of beginning
nascent
coming or having recently come into existence
audit
to perform a formal, methodical examination of an organization’s or individual’s financial accounts
audition
a trial performance to appraise an entertainer’s merits
science
knowledge or a system of knowledge covering general truths or the operation of general laws, especially as contained and tested through scientific method
auditorium
a room, hall, or building used for public gatherings
audience
a group of listeners or spectators
contraception
deliberate prevention of conception or impregnation
ingredient
something that enters into a compound or is a component part of any combination or mixture
naturalization
the act of conferring the rights of a national on, e.g. giving citizenship
dormitory
a residence hall or room for sleeping
impedimenta
things that impede (slow mov’t or progress of something)
generalize
to derive or induce from particulars
incompatible
incapable of association or harmonious coexistence
patience
the capacity of being able or willing to bear with something
principality
the territory or jurisdiction of a prince
participation
the act of taking part in something
captivating
influencing and dominating by some special charm, art, or trait and with an irresistible appeal
gentility
decorum of conduct; superior social status or prestige evidenced by manners, possessions, or mode of life
congenital
existing at or dating from birth
progressive
making use of or interested in new ideas, findings, or opportunities
conscientious
meticulous, careful
principal
most important, consequential, or influential
principle
a comprehensive and fundamental law, doctrine, or assumption
facetious
joking or jesting, often inappropriately (from L. facetiae “humour, humourous sayings”
erudite
having or showing knowledge that is gained by studying
piedmont region
the area lying at the foot of a mountain
degenerative disease
becoming worse, weaker; declining in condition
candescent
glowing or dazzling from, or as if from great heat
candor
unreserved, honest, or sincere expression
incarnation
a particular physical form or state; version
carnal
relating to the body; marked by sexuality or bodily pleasures
florid
very flowery in style
devious
cunning; deceptive
intransitive
not characterized by having a direct object (as in: intransitive verb)
ambient
existing or present on all sides
ambience
a feeling or mood associated with a particular place, person, or thing
seditious
of, relating to, or tending toward the crime of saying, writing, or doing something that encourages people to disobey their government
derelict
abandoned
innocuous
harmless; inoffensive
ambivalence
simultaneous and contradictory attitudes or feelings
efflorescence
the action or process of developing and unfolding, as if coming into flower
noxious
harmful or destructive
evanescent
tending to vanish like vapor
provenance
origin, source; history of ownership of a valued object or work of art/literature
subvention
endowment; subsidy
circumvent
to manage to get around, esp. by ingenuity or stratagem
adventitious
coming from another source and not inherent or innate
dereliction
an intentional abandonment; intentional or conscious neglect
venue
a place where events of a specific type are held; the place where a trial is held
via
by way of
viable
having reasonable chance of succeeding
obviate
to anticipate and prevent, or make unnecessary
contravention
the act of opposing in argument or acting contrary to something
obit
obituary; a notice of a person’s death
vain
marked by futility or ineffectualness; having no real value
voracious
insatiable; having a huge appetite
facile
shallow or simplistic; readily manifested and often lacking sincerity or depth
facility
ease in performance; aptitude
fiat
decree; an authoritative or arbitrary order
pellucid
very clear
lucid
clear to the understanding, intelligible; OR: having full use of one’s faculties; sane
translucent
permitting the passage of light
candid
marked by honest sincere expression
fait accompli
an accomplished fact
defection
desertion; conscious abandonment of allegiance or duty
irascible
marked by hot temper and easily provoked anger
obnoxious
highly offensive; odiously or disgustingly objectionable
ire
intense anger
delinquent
a person who does things that are illegal or immoral
inefficiency
the quality/state of not producing the effect intended or desired, or of being wasteful of time or energy
deviant
deviating (straying) from an accepted norm
trivial
of little worth or importance
obsolescence
the condition of being no longer in use or no longer useful
obsolete
no longer in use or no longer useful
unambitious
not having a desire for rank, fame, or power
innocence
freedom from guile or cunning; ignorance
prevalent
generally or widely accepted, practiced, or favoured; widespread
validation
an act, process, or instance of recognizing, establishing, or illustrating the worthiness or legitimacy of something
eventuality
a possible event or outcome
efficacious
having the power to produce a desired effect
elucidate
to make clear to understand
contrary
against or opposed to something
insufficiency
the state of not having or providing enough of what is needed
impervious
not allowing entrance or passage
viaduct
a long, elevated roadway consisting of a series of short spans supported on arches, piers,or columns
munificence
the state of being characterized by great generosity
remuneration
the act of paying an equivalent; recompensing
reconvene
to come together/assemble again
immunity
the quality or state of being exempt or marked by protection
convalescence
the state of recovering health and strength gradually after sickness/weakness
omnificent
unlimited in creative power
omnipotence
the quality or state of having unlimited authority or influence
omnibus
an automotive vehicle designed to carry a large # of passengers
omnisicient
having infinite awareness, understanding, and insight
omnivore
one that feeds on both animal & vegetable substances
actuary
a person who calculates insurance and annuity premiums, reserves, dividends
ambiguous
capable of being understood in two or more possible senses or ways
exigent
requiring immediate aid
exiguous
inadequate; excessively scanty
benefactor
one that makes a gift or bequest
beneficence
the quality or state of doing or producing good
caveat
a warning or proviso of specific stipulations, conditions, or limitations; a modifying or cautionary detail
indictment
a formal written statement framed by a prosecuting authority and found by a jury charging a person with an offense
interdiction
a prohibition of something
circadian
characterized by or occurring in approx. 24-hr periods or cycles
diurnal
active chiefly in the daytime
circumstantial
belong to, consisting in, or dependent on certain conditions
redemption
the act of serving to offset for compensate for a defect
preemptive
marked by the seizing of the initiative (initiated by oneself) OR to take precedence over; to prevent from happening or taking place
intransigent
characterized by refusal to compromise or to abandon an extreme position/attitude
ineffable
incapable of being expressed in words; unspeakable; indescribable
nefarious
flagrantly wicked or impious; evil
indifference
the quality or state of being marked by impartiality
infer
to derive as a conclusion from facts or premises
malediction
curse
otiose
lacking use or effect
restitution
a restoration of something to its rightful owner or to its previous state
resilient
tending to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change
statutory
of or relating to a law
desultory
marked by lack of definite plan, regularity, or purpose
constituency
a group or body that patronizes, supports, or offers representation; an electoral district
intractable
not easily governed or managed
distraction
something that draws or direct’s one attention to a different object
indict
to charge with a fault or offense
peremptory
admitting of no contradiction; not providing an opportunity to show why one should not comply
salient
of notable significance
negotiable
open to discussion or dispute
statute
a law enacted by the legislative branch of a government
infamous
notoriously evil; having a reputation of the worst kind
deactivate
to make inactive or ineffective
beneficiary
one that benefits from something
addictive
causing a compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance
infantile
characteristic of an infant; very immature
preference
the act of liking better or best
malcontent
a person who is not pleased
subsistence
the condition of remaining in existence, OR the minimum necessary to support life
insult
to treat with insolence, indignity, or contempt
diary
a record of events kept daily
dictator
a person holding complete autocratic control
relation
an aspect or quality that connects two or more things as being or working together, or as being of the same kind
referendum
a vote on a measure passed on or proposed by a legislative body
agenda
a list or outline of things to be considered or done
corrigenda
error in a printed work discovered after printing, shown with its correction on a separate sheet
legendary
well-known, famous; relating to legend (a popular myth)
deciduous
falling off or shed seasonally
incidence
rate of occurrence or influence; an act of falling upon or affecting
incisive
impressively direct and decisive
cognoscenti
a person who has expert knowledge in a subject
incognito
with one’s identity concealed
cognizance
knowledge or awareness
confluence
a coming or flowing together, meeting, or gathering at one point
effluent
something (e.g. waste material) that flows out of
effusive
marked by the expression of great or excessive emotion or enthusiasm
infusion
the act of introducing something that alters, usually for the better
inhospitable
not friendly or receptive
magisterial
authoritative; marked by an overbearingly dignified or assured manner or aspect
diminuendo
decrescendo (gradual decrease in volume)
decisive
unquestionable; firmly determined
inexorable
relentless; not to be persuaded, moved, or stopped
oracular
resembling or relating to an oracle
oscillation
variation; fluctuation
implication
suggestion
imply
to express indirectly
implicit
capable of being understood from something else though unexpressed
construe
to understand or explain the sense or intention of
superstructure
all of a building above the basement
restructure
to change the makeup, organization, or pattern of
conspectus
outline/synopsis
circumpsect
prudent; careful to consider all circumstances and possible consequences
perspicacious
keen; of acute mental vision or discernment
introspective
characterized by a reflective looking inward
extradition
the surrender of an alleged criminal, usually under the provisions of a treaty or statute by one authority to another having the jurisdiction to try the charge
precipitous
very steep, perpendicular
precipitate
to bring about especially abruptly
precipitation
water that falls to the ground as rain, snow, etc.
minor
a person who is not yet old enough to have the rights of an adult
minuscule
very small
minority
the smaller in number of two groups constituting a whole
flux
change, fluctuation
devitalize
to deprive of life, vigor, or effectiveness
recidivism
a tendency to relapse into a previous condition or mode of behaviour, esp. criminal
recondite
of, relating to, or dealing with something little known or obscure
minutiae
minute or minor details
specious
having deceptive attraction or allure
